Apparatus for flash aging printed fabrics



.Sept. 24, 1963 J. GRIFFITHS ETAL APPARATUS FOR FLASH AGING PRINTEDFABRICS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1959 INVENTOR 5:

.(Ack GRIFFITHS 8 WILLIAM GORDO/V l/ARLAND Sept. 24, 1963 J. GRIFFITHSETAL 3,104,954

APPARATUS FOR FLASH AGING PRINTED FABRICS Filed Oct. 5 1959 4SheetsSheet 2 um m'oas;

in Ck age/rinks mun/u 09mm min/ma ATTO R N EY p 24, 1963' J. GRIFFITHSETAL APPARATUS FOR FLASH AGING PRINTED FABRICS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledGot. 5, 1959 mvgn TORS: JAF/ f GRIFFITHS WILLIAM Galena/Y HARLA/YD Sept.24, 1963 GRIFFITHS ETALV 3,104,954

APPARATUS FOR FLASH AGING PRINTED FABRICS Filed Oct. 5, 1959 4Sheets-Sheet 4 l NVENTQR 5 JACK GRIFFlT/ls WILL/AM Galena uA mA/b'.

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,104,954 APPARATUS FOR FLASH AGINGPRINTED FABRICS Jack Grifliths, Wythenshawe, Manchester, and WilliamGordon Harland, Finney Green, Wilmslow, England, assignors to The CottonSilk and Man-Made Fibre Research Association Filed Oct. 5, 1959, Ser.No. 844,417 Claims priority, application Great Britain Oct. 7, 1958 7Claims. (Cl. 34-85) This invention concerns the printing of fabrics andyarns (hereinafter called material), especially cellulosic fabrics, withvat and sulphur dyes.

Two-phase printing processes are known. In one such process cellulosicfabric is printed with vat dyestnif, dried, and padded with an alkalinereducing agent. Finally, steaming, oxidation, soaping off and likefinishing operations are carried out in conventional manner. Improvedselection of the reducing'agent has resulted in reduced times forsteaming being required.

Such two-stage processes as generally practised have certaindisadvantages, one of the more serious being the incidence ofmarking-oft". This usually occurs during the steaming process and is themore likely to occur with processes requiring only short steaming timesbecause of the correspondingly greater concentration of reduced dyestutfat any given moment. In so-called flash ageing, which is a two-stageprocess involving the use of a solution of caustic soda and sodiumhydrosulphite, markingoff from the rollers during steaming is a majordifficulty, and it is with this type of two-stage process that thepresent invention is more particularly concerned, its object beinghowever, a general improvement in the process of firing the dyestuifafter it has been applied to a fabric or yarn in the initial stage of atwo-stage process of the broad type which has been referred tohereinbefore.

According to the present invention a method of printing material,especially cellulosic fabrics with vat and sulphur dyes includes thestages of passing the material, printed with the dyestufi and treatedwith a reducing agent, around a system of heated rotating cylinders, thematerial being held against part of the periphery of each cylinder by atravelling band of fluid-tight material, and passing substantiallydirectly from the peripheral surface of one cylinder to that of thenext, whereby to reduce the dyestufi to the soluble form, andcontinuously cleaning the cylinder surfaces at another part of theirperiphenes.

The invention also includes a machine for the flash ageing of material,especially cellulosic fabrics which comprises a plurality of rotatablecylinders capable of being heated by internal means, an endless band offluid-tight material, means for supporting said band around part of theperiphery of each cylinder, so as to move with said cylinders whenrotated and pass substantially directly and successively from theperipheral surface of one cylinder to that of the next, means forintroducing said material between those parts of the cylinder surfacesand the band so that same is also progressed in like manner, and

means for continuously cleaning the peripheral surfaces of the cylindersat another part of their peripheries when rotating.

The use of more than one cylinder, and the use of internally heatedcylinders insteadof a steam atmosphere is very practical because we havefound, contrary to previous belief, that short passages in air (as isinevitable between cylinders) of the fabric are not detrimental, andbecause we have designed an efficient cleaning device for the rotatingsurface of a cylinder with a non machined surface, normally built upfrom sheet metal, of the commerically available and inexpensive type.The prin- 3,104,954 Patented Sept. 24, 1963 FIGURE 3 is a scrap viewshowing in more detail 7 the cylinder cleaning arrangements;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional end view of one of the cylinder cleaningdevices; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of one of the cylinder cleaning devices.

The drawings illustrate a two-cylinder machine for the flash ageing ofcellulosic fabrics. The two cylinders 11, 12 are built up from sheetmetal and approach four feet in diameter. They are disposed asillustrated, one vertically above the other with their axes horizontal.A system of parallel rollers, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23support an endless band 24 of rubberised fabric or other suitablefluid-tight material for passage round the cylinders 11 12, as shown,through a washing trough 25 divided into two sections each having arotary brush 25a, one for applying cleaning liquid and the other forremoving surplus liquid, and through a drying device 26 (if necessary).One roller 15 applies the tension to the band 24 whilst another roller16 is adapted to act as a tracking roller to maintain the correctportion of the band axially of the cylinders. Padding mangle bowls 27,28 are disposed so as to enable printed and padded fabric 29 to be fedinto the machine between the band 24 and the cylinder 11. A reservoir 30is provided for the liquor to be padded on and the bowl 23 clips intothis. A further system of parallel rollers 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 areprovided for guiding the fabric through the padding system and a groovedscroll bar 36 ensures the 'widthwise stressing of the fabric coming tothe padding system. The fabric is progressed between the band 24 and thecylinders 11, 12 (the band being at least slightly wider than thefabric) the direction of rotation or progression of the various elementsbeing as indicated by the arrows, finally to be led off at an elevatedlevel.

Washing or cleaning means 37 is provided for each of the cylinders 11,12 disposed between the points at which the fabric 29 enters and leavescontact therewith. The lower cleaning means 37 has along its trailingedge m absorbent squeegee 38, for example of felt which spreadscondensed drops of moisture for rapid evaporation from the surface ofthe cylinder 11. It is not necessary to make such provision in the uppercylinder 12 since the location of the upper cylinder washer is such thatcondensate falling therefrom will fall onto the lower cylinder washer.

In practice, the roller 22 is closer to the line joining the cent-res ofcylinders 11 and 12 than is shown in the drawings, thus the fabricmoving round the roller is less likely to be contaminated by drops ofmoisture falling from the upper cleaning means.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 1, an electric motor or otherprime mover (not shown) drives a chain wheel assembly 39 and by means ofchains 40, 41, the drive is transmitted respectively to a chain wheel 42associated with the lower cylinder 11 to rotate the latter, and to achain wheel 43 associated with the 1 01161 21, to rotate the latter and,through a further chain 44, chain Wheel 45 associated with roller 22,and chain wheel 46 associated with roller 23 to rotate rollers 22, 23.It is a layer should be of a like extent.

desirable that the drive to the rollers 21, 22, 233 should be through aslipping clutch '(not shown) so that, in the event of slip occurringbetween the band 24 and the rollers 11 and 12 the rollers 21, 22, 23 cantake over the driving of band 24. This arrangement also compensates forcylinder non-uniformity. A further prime mover (not shown) drives achain wheel 47 and by means of a chain 48 the drive is transmitted to achain wheel 49 associated with the lower mangle bowl 28 whereby torota-te the latter.

Refenring more particularly to FIGURE 1A both cylinders 11, 12 areprovided at the other side with chain wheels 50, 51 and chain 52transmits the drive from the lower cylinder 11 to the upper cylinder 12.

The roller 35 (FIGURE 1) is preferably arranged to be sensitive to thefabric tension, and to cause the speed of the cylinders 1'1, '12relative to that of the mangle bowl 23 to be adjusted by a variable gearso that substantially constant fabric tension is achieved. The topmangle bowl 27 has (-FIGURE 2) an assembly 55 associated with each ofits bearings whereby the mangling pressure can be adjusted.

Steam inlet pipes 53 and outlet pipes 54 are provided 7 whereby thesteam necessary to heat the cylinders 11 12 is introduced thereto andremoved therefrom.

Referring now to FIGURES 3, 4 and the cleaning means or washer 37 forthe surfaces of cylinders 11, 12 Will now be described in more detail.

Each washing or cleaning means 37 consists of a boxlike structure withits only :open side towards the cylinder periphery, suitable sealingmeans between this and the cylinder surface, a brush element, and meansfor passing cleaning water therethrough. The sealing means is apolytetrafiuorro-ethylene gasket 55, .010 inch thick bonded to athree-eighths :of an inch thick microcellular (nonconnecting cells)synthetic rubber layer 56, which is in turn firmly fixed to the main box57 of the washer, which is of metal, and in turn itself supported by achannel iron 57a. In the main box 57 is disposed a brush 5-8 supportedat intervals along its length by pieces of microcellular syntheticrubber, and which extends across the operative width of the respectivecylinder, the bristles 58a of which contact the cylinder. Water inletand Outlet pipes 5-9, 60 are provided at the base of the washer toenable water to pass to and from the brush region. To avoid unduedistortion of the micro-cellular synthetic rubber We have found that theWasher should have threequarter inch walls, and the gasket and syntheticrubber In practice, we make the Wall thickness of the main box 57slightly greater than the lateral extent of the layer 56. The lateralextent of the gasket 55 where it overlies the layer 56 is in excess ofthat of the layer 56 to prevent wear of the latter where it tends to bepressed out laterally during operation of the cleaning device.

Each washer 37 is urged into contact with the respective cylinder wallby spring or screw means, the force exerted by which is adequate toensure a sealing effect, but not suflicient to cause any undue brakingeffect on the cylinders 11, 12. We prefer to support each cleaning meansor washer 3-7 in a rigidly mounted channel 61 running across the widthof the machine and to load the device into sealing contact with itscylinder by means of compression springs housed in mountings 62 whichhave screw caps whereby the spring force exerted can be varied. We havefound four such springs equi-spaced across the Width of the machine tobe an adequate number.

In operation we have found that for completely effective removal ofprinting paste from the cylinder, it is necessary to pass watercontinually through the washer, or cleaning means, via the inlet andoutlet pipes. Suction may be applied to the outlet side as a precautionders by suitable internal means, such as steam, to the appropriatetemperature for reduction and continuously pass the fabric (or aplurality of ends of yarn) printed and padded between the band 24 andthe cylinders 11, 12. The printed side of the fabric may be against thecylinders. The band 24 and the cylinder surfaces are continuouslycleaned and We have found that good results were obtained, withmarking-off eliminated. When using suitable reducing agents, thereduction time is very short. The passage inair when the fabric movesbetween the cylinders has no deleterious effect.

Advantages which result from the use of a plurality of.

cylinders is that output speeds may be increased, and space saved.

The invention is not limited to the details of the embodiment justdescribed and improvements and modifications may be made. Thus, morethan two cylinders can be used; the temperature of the respectivecylinders may be arranged to be different, as may be best suit thecircumstances, this being a further advantage of using more than onecylinder; and so forth.

We claim: a

1. In a machine for the flash ageing of material especially cellulosicfabrics, which machine comprises a plurality of rotatable cylinderscapable of being heated by internal means, an endless band offluid-tight material,

means for supporting said band around part of the periphery of eachcylinder, so as to move with said cylinders when rotated and passsubstantially directly and successively from the peripheral surface ofone cylinder to that of the next, and means for introducing saidmaterial between those parts of the surfaces and the band so that sameis also progressed in like manner, the improvement which comprises abox-like cylinder cleaning member for the surfaces of, the respectivecylinders with only one open side, said open side being in opposedrelation to the surface of its respective cylinder, a brush therewiththe bristles of which extend to said open side, a liquid inlet andoutlet means in connection with the interior of said member, thebox-like member being loaded against the cylinder surface with theinterposition of sealing means, whereby to cause the brush bristles tocontact the cylinder surface and to enable cleaning. liquid to becontinuously circulated therethrough, both while the cylin- V der isrotating. 7

2. A machine according to claim 1 in which the sealing means comprises athin gasket of polyeteraiiuoro-ethylene lying against the cylindersurface supported on a resilient layer.

3. A machine according to claim 2 in which the gasket is approximately.010 inch thick. 7

4. A machine according to claim 1 including a resilient layer isapproximately thzree-eighths of an inch thick. rubber between saidsealing means and the main body of said cleaning means.

5. A machine according to claim 4 in which resilient layer isapproximately three-eighths of a ninch thick.

6. A machine according to claim 1 in which the lateral extent of thewalls of the gasket, the resilient layer and box-like member is at leastthree-quarters of an inch;

7. A machine according to claim 1 in which a squeegee of absorbentmaterial is adapted to contact the cylinder surface adjacent thetrailing edge of the box-like mem- References Cited in the file of thispatent 2,537,290 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 235 322 521,816 Fififitt June26, 1894 1,317,100 Plant Sept. 23, 1919 5 1,764,631 Hubinger June 17,1930 616,071 1,861,623 Chapin June 7, 1932 1,056,910 2,317,533 JoslinApr. 27, 1943 2,326,121 BllldWOI'th Aug. 10, 1943 2,445,504 WilliamsJuly 20, 1948 10 2,499,142 Helmus Feb. 28, 1950 1953, P-

6 Williams Jan. 9, 1951 Bailey Aug. 11, 1953 Griffiths et a1 Aug. 11,1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Jan. 17, 1949 France Oct. 28, 1953OTHER REFERENCES AATCC Monograph N0. 2, Application of Vat Dyes,

1. IN A MACHINE FOR THE FLASH AGEING OF MATERIAL ESPECIALLY CELLULOSICFABRICS, WHICH MACHINE COMPRISES A PLURALITY OF ROTATABLE CYLINDERSCAPABLE OF BEING HEATED BY INTERNAL MEANS, AN ENDLESS BAND OFFLUID-TIGHT MATERIAL, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID BAND AROUND PART OF THEPERIPHERY OF EACH CULINDER, SO AS TO MOVE WITH SAID CYLINDERS WHENROTATED AND PASS SUBSTANTIALLY DIRECTLY AND SUCCESSIVELY FROM THEPERIPHERAL SURFACE OF ONE CYLINDER TO THAT OF THE NEXT, AND MEANS FORINTRODUCING SAID MATERIAL BETWEEN THOSE PARTS OF THE SURFACES AND THEBAND SO THAT SAME IS ALSO PROGRESSED IN LIKE MANNER, THE IMPROVEMENTWHICH COMPRISES A BOX-LIKE CYLINDER CLEANING MEMBER FOR THE SURFACES OFTHE RESPECTIVE CYLINDERS WITH ONLY ONE OPEN SIDE, SAID OPEN SIDE BEINGIN OPPOSED RELATION TO THE SURFACE OF ITS RESPECTIVE CYLINDER, A BURSHTHEREWITH THE BRISTLES OF WHICH EXTEND TO SAID OPEN SIDE, A LIQUID INLETAND OUTLET MEANS IN CONNECTION WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID MEMBER, THEBOX-LIKE MEMBER BEING LOADED AGAINST THE CYLINDER SURFACE WITH THEINTERPOSITION OF SELAING MEANS, WHEREBY TO CAUSE THE BRUSH BRISTLES TOCONTACT THE CYLINDER SURFACE AND TO ENABLE CLEANING LIQUID TO BECONTINUOUSLY CIRCULTED THERETHROUGH, BOTH WHILE THE CYLINDER ISROTATING.